Saudi Arabia, UAE Lead Indian Worker Deaths in Gulf: MEA Tells Parliament
New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has informed Parliament that between 2021 and 2025, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) accounted for over 71% of all Indian fatalities in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The data was tabled in a written reply on Thursday.
According to the figures, Saudi Arabia recorded 11,923 deaths of Indian nationals during the five-year period, the highest among GCC nations. The UAE followed closely with 11,489 fatalities. Kuwait reported 3,890 deaths, followed by Oman with 2,457, Qatar with 1,548, and Bahrain with 1,206.
Most of these countries saw a sharp increase in deaths in 2021, a trend widely linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a decline in 2022, Bahrain and Qatar continued to register lower numbers through 2024-2025. However, Saudi Arabia and the UAE experienced upward trajectories during the same period, according to the MEA data.
The figures come against the backdrop of a large Indian diaspora in the Gulf. Approximately 10 million Indian nationals reside in the six GCC countries, with the UAE alone hosting around 4.5 million Indians, making it the largest overseas Indian community in the region.
The MEA's reply did not specify the causes of death, which include natural fatalities, accidents, and other factors, rather than solely occupational incidents. However, the data underscores the vulnerabilities faced by Indian workers in the Gulf, where many are employed in construction, domestic work, and other manual labour sectors.
Indian missions in these countries provide assistance to workers and their families, including help with repatriation of remains and legal support. The government also runs worker welfare schemes and pre-departure orientation programmes aimed at reducing risks for emigrant workers.
The parliamentary disclosure has renewed attention on the safety and welfare of Indian nationals working abroad, particularly in West Asia, where labour rights and living conditions have been a long-standing subject of concern among advocacy groups.
